Almond blossom in Tenerife: the tree
and its touristic routes
The almond is an exceptional tree. When all the other trees are just resisting the hard winter, like the canary island pine, the almond considers that it is a perfect moment to blossom. This is why it is one of the firsts to start embellishing the landscapes. The almond blossom in Tenerife, as well as in the rest of the World, is one of the most beautiful things to observe.
This species is filled of simbology and has always been present in the universal culture. In our island it has a notorious presence, and it also has its own hiking tours, which are thought to admire these incredible trees. Now we are in blossom time, so in StarExcursions we want to dedicate a special post to talk about the almond blossom in Tenerife.
Almond blossom: characteristics
of a remarkable species
The almond (Prunus dulcis) is one of the most popular tres in the World. This is not an exception here, so the almond blossom in Tenerife is one big natural touristic attraction, although it may go unnoticed. Its attractiveness is due to its beautiful flowers, which has a singular color, between white and pale pink. But the astonishing thing about the almonds is not its flowers, but the moment of the year they blossom.
The almond blossoms in the middle of winter, when the rest of the trees are just surviving and waiting for the climate to change. When we discover this fact, it is logic to think that this tree is completely adapted to cold, up to the point to prefer it from heat. But this is false: the almond is a species which is especially susceptible to cold, and, more specifically, to intense weather changes.
It might seem absurd that this tree blossoms in the hardest of all seasons, and especially when we know that almond are not adapted to sudden frosts that occur during winter and even at the beginning of spring. But we have a proper answer to give you.
The almond grows mainly in regions with Mediterranean climate, where winter is not so hard and summer is hot and extremely dry –this is why it is so common to have almonds in different regions of Spain, a typical Mediterranean country. This situation provokes that this tree prefers to blossom in winter, because it might be turbulent or not, but it is completely sure that summer will be hot and dry.
The almond tree, with its beautiful flowers and delicious fruits, almonds
So, now that we know that in these regions summer can be very hard, lasting longer than usual and with droughts, it is logic that the almond blossoms in winter. It needs about 6 months to get its seeds ready, so, if it stars in January, it finishes its task by de beginning of summer, when water scarce.
Thankfully, the almond blossom in Tenerife will not suffer from all of this, for sure. As you sure know, in our archipelago we have an excellent climate, so winter will not ever be that hard. But up to this point, we must explain that cold is necessary for the almond to develop its vital cycle. That is the reason why it grows in mountainous regions, at considerable heights, where the temperature is cold enough to start the blossoming, but it is almost impossible to provoke the death of the flowers or the tree. So the almond blossom in Tenerife is perfectly adapted and stands out during winter.
The almond blossom in Tenerife benefits itself of benevolent climate
Global warming has afected the blossoming of the almond
But something has happened this winter. We already know that the almond blossoms during winter, but it is not usual that it does it before January. In different points of Spain, this tree has started to embellish the landscapes with its amazing flowers before 2017 started. This has attracted the attention of both the public and the scientific community.
What could have happened to cause this situation? The first thing we have thought about seems quite clear: global warming. As the temperature of the Earth raises, this event happens more often. So the premature blossoming of the almond is far from being an isolated fact. Because of that, we must bear in mind that the Earth is getting warmer and the consequences will be irreversible.
As the autumn and beginning of winter has been not as cold as usual, the almond has interpreted that it was time to blossom. As this article explains (in Spanish), this phenomenon has occurred about 20 days before the expected date.
We must get concerned about the risk of global warming, but we can also enjoy the beauties of the almond blossoming. If you are in our island and want to invest one day in observing the almond blossom in Tenerife, we encourage you to do so! You will not regret it. Because of that, we propose you a hiking route that will satisfy your interest in nature.
A route to discover the almond blossom in Tenerife
The almond blossom in Tenerife is one of the many touristic atractivenesses of our island. It is worth visiting the regions in which these trees grow and blossom. So, in order to make this possible, we propose you a route that will cover all of your expectations. This hiking journey connects the towns of Santiago del Teide and Arguayo, both belonging to the municipality of Santiago del Teide.
This tour takes place in the west of the island, far from the coast, in a mountainous region, at about 1000 meters high. This conditions generate an ideal climate for the developing of almonds. It is highly recommendable to visit this zone between the end of January and March, for this is the moment when almonds are in its flourishing peak.
The siting of Santiago del Teide is ideal
for the growing of the almond
This zone is characterized by the presence of volcanic ground, which is ideal for the hydric requirements of the almond, for this tree grows in dry grounds. The tour is marked by the eruption of the Chinyero volcano, which left a series of lava tongues in this region.
The route starts in the town of Santiago del Teide, through La Plaza de la Iglesia (The Church Square) and stops at the neighborhood of Las Manchas, a fundamental spot to observe these natural wonders. You will not get too far from urban cores, but you will enjoy the experience of going through natural landscapes. The trip goes to its end at the arrival to the town of Arguayo.
Almonds, remains of volcanic eruptions, astonishing views…You will live an amazing journey! However, we must inform you that it is not an easy hiking route, although it is neither an extremely difficult one. It is 10 kilometers long and the difficulty is medium, so, with proper equipment and maybe some previous training, you will be able to complete it without any physical problem. It may be even a family trip! If you desire to contemplate the almond blossom in Tenerife, this is your route. If you need more information, you can visit this website (in Spanish).
The sunset makes the beauty fo the almonds even bigger
This has been our incursion through the almond blossom in Tenerife, which now looks splendorous, for it is living the blossoming peak. This tree and its flowers inspires passion, up to the pont that some regions have festivities dedicated to this tree. It is the case of the municipality of Puntagorda, in the canary island of La Palma.
In StarExcursions we want to encourage you to discover this tree. Because of that, we have not only explained to you its most important characteristics, but also offer you the chance to visit a region of the island where you will watch them live. The almond blossom in Tenerife is a huge touristic attractiveness, so do not miss it!
Photographs:
Featured image: Joseph Vasquez (link to the license)
In text image 1: Mark Chinnick (link to the license)
In text images 2 and 5: El coleccionista de instantes (link to the license)
In text image 3: Andrés Nieto Porras (link to the license)
In text image 4: Benjamin Balázs (link to the license)
In text image 6: Xavi (link to the license)